Portable electro-aerosol generator



July 13 1955 A. P. wEHNER 3,194,236

PORTABLE ELECTRO-AEROSOL GENERATOR Filed Dec. 26. 1961 IOO V 2 ALFRED F. WEHNER INVENTOR.

FIG. 3.

United States Patent AO 3,194,236 PORTABLE ELECTRO-AEROSOL GENERATDR Alfred P. Wehner, Dallas, Tex. (1109 Janwood Circle, Plano, Tex.) Filed Dec. 26, 1961, Ser. No. 162,077 5 Claims. (Cl. 12S-172.1)

VThis invention pertains to an improved electro-aerosol generator. More particularly, the invention relates to `a portable electro-aerosol generator for inhalation therapy with unipolarly charged elect-ro-areosols and other purposes such as physiological and bioclimatological research. Some recent experiments conducted at the University of California under the auspices of Naval Research have proven conclusively that certain living tissue respond favorably to negative air ions. Conversely, in the presence of positive air ions this same tissue showed repressed activity. For exam-ple, the cilia, small hair- -like projections lining the trachea are stimulated by the presence of negative air ions and increasetheir activity. This expels mucus, dust, bacteria, and other foreign matter from the respiratory tract and prevents infections and obstructions and aids healing proces-ses. In this manner, the foreign objects, such as pollen, etc., do not cause respiratory diiiiculties. While past air ionization means have been fairly successful, they have to rely on dust and other impurities of the air to carry the lair ions to their intended destination. By using such impurities in the air as vehicle for the electric charges, the conditions of the -respiratory tract have not been ,alleviated as rapidly las they might be.

Electro-aerosols have been used with remarkable success in ten countries, particularly Germany and Russia, in the treatment lof various diseases. This is especially true of diseases 'of the respiratory system, allergies, rheumatism, `and nervous conditions. The beneficial effect of the electro-areosol therapy is achieved primarily by the biological effects of electric charges'. The charges have a cellular, local level effect as well as a central effect on the autonomic system. Alfected, for instance, are' hormone and enzyme activities with ensuing secondary effects, cell membrane permeability .and other Ibiological functions. Electro-aerosol therapy enjoys the considerable advantage over artificially ionized air to have als a carrier of the electric charge water or .aqueous solution which, by itself, has a well proven benelicial effect on the living tissue to be treated. The carrier, or vehicle, has in the case of ionized air, at best, indifferent eifect-s on .the tissue.

In my invention I use microdroplets asa physiologically superior vehicle for the transport of electric charges into the organism (lungs) compared with air vionizers, depending on `air contaminants such as microscopic dust particles as vehicle. Particularly in diseases of the respiratory tract is it desirable to transport water or other suitable liquids into the affected areas for a better bronchial toilet, liquitication .of mucus, sedative effect of hypotonic solutions, etc. Past electro-aerosol generators have been bulky, immobile units. Due to different design principles, they have been expensive and because of the relatively large size have been confined to locations. This meant the patient seeking the benefits of electro-aerosol treatment had to travel to the generator.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an electro-aerosol generator which is portable. It is a further object of this invention to provide an electroaero-sol generator not requiring air compressing equipment and other elaborate installation. It is a further object of this invention to provide -a portable electro-aerosol generator such that the electric charge is carried by a ldg Patented July 13, 1965 FPice vehicle which has a beneficial effect on the cell tissue to be treated by said electro-aerosol therapy. It is a further object of this invention to provide a unipolarlycharged droplet as a compatible vehicle for a more stable aerosol. It is a further object of this invention, for a Abetter utilization of the aerosol, to create a favorable electrostatic potential between the source of the unipolarly-charged droplets .and the person (representing ground) or tissue to receive the benefits thereof. These and other objects will become yapparent a-s the description of the invention proceeds.

For .a more complete understanding of the present invention and for further objects and advantages thereof, reference may now be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingsY in which:

vFIGURE 1 schematically illustrates a novel electroaerosol generator constructed in accordance with the teachings of the subject invention;

FIGURE 2 illustrate-s a Amodified form of an electroaerosol generator with electrical heat means; yand 'FIGURE 3 illustrates the nozzle portion of the electroaerosol generator of the type of either `FIGURE 1 or FIGURE 2 but having the added features of ionization promotion means `and auxiliary charging means.

The invention discloses an apparatus which facilitates the generation of unipolarly-charged electro-aerosols as employed in electro-aerosol therapy. It consists of a liquid reservoir having an opening or nozzle to direct the electro-aerosol toward the inhaling person. By suitable mean-s, the liquid in the reservoir is electrically charged and brought to a boil. The molecules escaping from the liquid will themselves be electrically charged. To enhance this charge a high voltage grid may be inserted in the vapor stream. This is n-ot necessary, however. The discharging vapors then will condense to form small electrically charged droplets. This condensation can be readily seen by any present-day vaporizer. However, such vaporizers do not 4have the benecial effects of electro-aerosol therapy as the present invention does. The advantages of this invention compared with presently employed electro-aerosol generators are that suitable unipolarly-charged electro-aerosols are available Without the use of auxiliary systems, such as compressed air sources. In addition, these electro-aerosols are very stable since the mutually repellent forces of unipolar electric charges prevent the coalescense and resulting rapid sedimentation of the droplets. Since the liquid being used is by itself a well .proven remedy in respiratory diseases, and for reason-s described above, electro-aerosol therapy as 'administered with this invention has significant technical, physical and therapeutic advantages over presently employed methods.

The invention is described in detail below. Into liquid reservoir 1 is intro-duced a liquid 3 which is compatible With the living tissue to be treated. In most cases this will be pure water or diluted aqueous solutions. Suitable organic additives for the water are, for instance, propylene glycol, glycerine, ethereal oils, or other medicated or aromatic solutions, emulsions or suspensions. The concentration of such solutions will be generally 'below five percent (5%) of the additive and about ninetyve percent water. For ease in adding the material a cap 4- for the liquid reservoir 1 can be provi-ded. This cap should contain .a vapor escape nozzle 5, preferably one which is directional. By that is meant one which will impart a direction to the vapors when they escape from the reservoir. This is for improved control in insuring the unipolarly-charged droplets to proceed to the living tissue to be treated. By thi-s living tissue to be treated is meant living organisms. These livngorganisms Vrun the gamutV from the simplest, whichf .it is desired to treat, such as cells,v through-the most corn-V pleX,-such as the humanV being. A suitable heat source' necessaryito former. cases-because of thepreviou-s ioniza such :asv candle 6 is provided below reservoir 1 tand;

spacedfto conduct heatto the vliqniixl'l therein. 'By suit-V Vable heat .source is meant such heat sources'as a naturalV gas ..burner,z .alcohol burner, propane `burner,f electrical.

' .heat means, or other heatmeans.V These. have .thejadV-.

vantage thatY they may be electrically'insulated from theV liquid reservoir and thus not afford a conducting path'.

fromthis reservoir.

One embodiment of theinvention isillustrated v`scheA Vmatically in FIGURE. Alternate ways'of .heating the Vliquid come, readily to mind, such'as that in'FIGURE.- 2 wherein the "inductiveheating units, electrodes f 20,

are immersed Yin the .liquid to `bezvaporiz'ed. VIo'ins'ure electricalv isolation, an visolation transformer .21 .whose` a.supportingstructure.r Provisioufofjhand'leswillfhelp to i 'f h Y. .Y hICughOllta* Vthis."apphcation' the. 1term liquid7has.been=. referred to` on v f electrostatic charge :is: much lower 'on the ,screen Vtharrl tion by thefradioactive energyfY f Although the possible currentis".keptiatfsafev 1ovvdefi/,ela'iAV by -the limiting resistor, anradditionalsafetyjfactor may .Y

be.` -added;..by providing l; a none)nductingl..shield"fsuchas mica. or .lngh-temperaturre,nonconductingV plastics around the vessel.v .V-This can befcnvenientlyA designedn form of increase the portability vof. the in,strument,V

` numerous occasions." It will'befreadily, understoodrthat this4 term is. intended..to coverf.aliquid whichjhasfbeenjf coils are separated by suitableinsulation, for example.V

upto 40,000 voltsV insulation' thickness, can be used as a heater with anormal Y115 volt alternating current"V power source.

Alternate methods .of heating suggest 1themselVes'tolr the one skilled in the artsuch as: blowing hotiaironfthe container or circulating .a hfot nonconducting .oilj through the liquid to be vaporized or by usinga heat lamp or"7` a source of infra-red energy.- These heating means* are given by Way of illustration and not by Way of limitation.

. Boiling. orvapo'rizin'g the material can also be .accomi Y plished by sonicl energy. That'is sonic or ultrasonic-vi-Y Y brations can be used to liberate the vapor particles from the liquid. [have found, however, that heat is asimpler and'more preferred method' of effectingboiling;E

' y It is, necessary toer'rsurefa unipolar charge on the vap-ors. To dojthis; plate 7 'isconnected by a conduct` :ing means to a high voltage DC. generator- 2'affordingr jfrom'- 40001 to 40,000 volts, depending upon the amount Y of'unipolar charge desired. -Inadequate unipolar'charges Y :result from electrostatieelds'ot lower potential.' To pre-Q Y vent' .the'highrvoltage `fronrbecoming dangerous, I in- '4.0

' comprising. electrically ,charged screen rrieansf` adjacent; to'

stall -a limiting resistorRof such magnitude to limit the current flow to safe amounts; For example', if the high voltage i generator supplies,4,000 volts, it, may. .be-neces# sary toY install a resi-stance of 4 megohmsto .limit/the'cu-r#V It hasbeen generally," f found that there is corona discharge associatedwith the ,45

V'high voltagesfrom 30,000to 40,000' vvolt-s. Therefore,

rent: flow to one milliampere.

Y to vaporV andliquidfdroplets?issuinggtherefrom n y 'Y I Y [of @further VVcomprisingionizationjprornotion:means.active ab nve they Vliquid, but vprior lto they outlet'.of'saiddirectionalirneanslV I prefer to VWork inthe .range ofj Vfrom 4,000 tol20,000 fV volts.vr It'will'be at .once obvious to one skilled inthe Y' art of electrical engineering that the unipolarcharge50 Ycan be imparted in other ways. Y

" A charged screen may Vbe used in addition.V to the-V chargingof the liquid. An kalternate embodiment V-utiliz-V ing an auxiliary charging screen is shown' infFIGURE` 3.,Y In FIGURE'Sthe vaporsV tltravel past' the radiof Y Vactive source 32, .suchas tritium, poloniumfor cesiurn,

andare ionized. By .placing-a'suitable charged screen i .Y 34 in the pathV of the issuing vapors,the desired uni-p. Y polar charge of the electro-aerosol may be achieved. It a should ,bel noted in 4the latter case that the degree' of.`

,vaporizabl'e V.in 2ac(gordance.V teachings of, this. specification:A

Theabove description` of thelnvention-fis of .illustrat-ononly. ,'V'Alternate embodiments rveadilysugy gest themselvesto.theoriel skilledfi VYt What is claimedis:A f p 51; An electro-aerosol: g Ve (a)V an insulated .conta ratori, coinprisin .Y Y ving aliquidfcaviy (b) a .liquidi in .the cavityY` Otis-aid lcontainerrrl capable Y Y gsaid container, V- y y. (e)k means for supplyingfsuicient heat totheliquid infY Y' Y saidV container .to lvaporizey, said lio-uid byboilingfand rectjcharged vapor-particles therelfryorirz,-1` Y f' 2. l'eetraerosolQgenerator`AV tclfim,.wliereinfth'f n electrical potential source is yat .a potential'las high -as about p containerff` n 4; @The `electro-aerosol -f generator of :clai

E11' further said directionalfmeans .for Yiinp'a-rting Eadditional 'hrpge Y 5,. The f electro-'aerosol igenerat References i UNITED STATES .*ParisNTS"l ff RICHARD A.ZGAhETPrimaryexaminar. f JORDANFRANKLIN.Examiarf Y h'fther 'Lpreviouslyfgstated Y' he Vart-fatalare 'Withiu Y "(c) :a groundedD-C. sourceof highelectricalpotential;

(di)meansl connecting said v`source;vvith`.;".the'liquicifinl l (f)v directional meanstor said .cofntairierv adante'ltrdi?A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No. 3,194,236 July 13, 1965 Alfred P. Wehner It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column Z, line 62, for "about" read above Signed and sealed this 15th day of February 1966.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. AN ELECTRO-AEROSOL GENERATOR COMPRISING: (A) AN INSULATED CONTAINER HAVING A LIQUID CAVITY, (B) A LIQUID IN THE CAVITY OF SAID CONTAINER CAPABLE OF RECEIVING A UNIPOLAR CHARGE, (C) A GROUNDED D.C. SOURCE OF HIGH ELECTRICAL POTENTIALL, (D) MEANS CONNECTING SAID SOURCE WITH THE LIQUID IN SAID CONTAINER, (E) MEANS FOR SUPPLUING SUFFICIENT HEAT IN THE LIQUID IN SAID CONTAINER TO VAPORIZE SAID LIQUID BY BOILING, AND (F) DIRECTIONAL MEANS FOR SAID CONTAINER ADAPTED TO DIRECT CHARGED VAPOR PARTICLES THEREFROM. 